Con
Lives in Dublin and is Gay. He shares his
thoughts on HIV LIVING
WITH H.I.V. |
The
theme for this year's World AIDS Day is YOUTH. This took place on
the1st December. Let us start by expressing solidarity with all
those we know who are HIV-positive and living with AIDS, especially
men, women and children most alienated by the political, economic
and social system around the world. Let us also remember those whom
we knew who will not be with us this year, because of illness or who
have died from AIDS related deaths.
From ten years ago, we have come a long away from
ignorance and fear. We still have some way to go. When we first
heard about HIV and AIDS there was a lot of fear and ignorance. Many
people faced prejudice and alienation from families, communities and
friends. There was a lot of scare mongering around the issue. In
many quarters it was seen as the gay plague. The media had its share
of responsibilities of spreading mis-information around on HIV and
AIDS, and in cases encouraging alienation, inciting hatred among gay
people. The gay community were being scape-goated. There
was a lot of sympathy if you were a Haemophiliac, or received by
accident. If one was a drug user who was positive, the attitude was
tough, good enough; they deserved what they got. Education in
schools was restricted. Those who were alienated in Irish society;
gays, drug-users, were further alienated by the system and Church.
Groups of people started coming together. One of the many groups was
Gay Health Action. This group were responsible for putting out the
correct information, setting up support groups, education and
discussion. With little funding from the State and hardly any
recognition. Gay Health Action dissolved and went on to set up AIDS
Action Alliance which went on to set up other groups. The State's
response was disgusting to HIV and AIDS. The Health response in
funding was a disgrace. While recognising the work of the gay
voluntary groups, it gave no funding. Around this time gay sexuality
was illegal, according to the law. Most money raised was done by
fundraisers, gigs, concerts and street collections, in which some
people were called faggots, spat at, and called junkie lovers. The
Health Authority were slow in setting up needle exchange programmes.
Drop-in centres or treatment centres for drug users were over worked
and under-funded. Some treatment centres were forced to change their
attitude towards drug users since the arrival of HIV and AIDS.
Segregation was taking place in prisons of people who were positive,
with little counselling involved. There were incidents where prison
officers walked around with space suits near people who were
positive. In another incident prison officers refused to work on the
segregation wing where people who were positive lived. There were
no needle exchange programmes inside prisons. The only
groups supplying information to people in prisons were people
working in voluntary groups, or people working in drug treatment
centres. HIV and AIDS was beginning to have its impact in working
class communities. In families it was known that up to three or four
members were positive. Some people who were positive were forced to
emigrate to England, because of ignorance and discrimination, and
better treatment facilities were being offered. Other people, who
were positive, some committed suicide. There were Gay people
diagnosed positive, who also emigrated because some could not face
their families to tell them that they were gay, never mind being
positive. Homophobia had its part to play and fear of rejection from
their families. We have also to remember that many families stood by
their loved ones who were positive and became involved in support
groups and talked about their experiences. A friend of mine who was
a community activist, political activist who was positive, said to a
journalist his decision to take his own life in a Church grounds was
to show his anger by the way he was treated when he was in their
care. . So lets move on from ten years ago to the
present. Thankfully, we have people who were diagnosed positive five
or seven years ago who are still with us. Better treatment
facilities are available along with different approaches in the
medical world. Also, groups who got no recognition from state
funding have managed to achieve their aims. While
combination therapy exists, it does not mean that HIV and AIDS has
gone away. All available information on combination therapy must be
available to people, and its side affects explained in every day
language. Also, people have rights to chose their own options. Let
us also remember the many partners of people who are positive, both
gay and straight. These people are often the ones who are hardly
mentioned in this area. And tributes must be paid to them for their
commitment and courage.. the unsung heroes. Confidentiality is very
important towards those who are positive. In a conference this year
for social workers, a discussion took place about the right to
Freedom to Information Act; a part of this Act will allow partners
of people who are positive access to their status. This raises many
questions, even though people we are told will be counselled, before
their partners are given access. First people who are positive have
a right to confidentiality, and its up to people who are positive to
tell their partners, friends and families. And if people do not want
to tell their partners then that should be respected. Let us not
forget some years ago, in France, a top official in health colluded
in silence with a doctor for contamination of blood with the HIV
virus and was arrested. This lead to demonstrations on the streets
for the then French Minister of Health's resignation. This was
reported on Channel Four News, politicians from the right in Germany
were calling for people who were positive to be isolated from the
rest of the populations and registered. Sounds similar to what
Hitler did, remember 1939 to 1945. In Rome a house for people who
were positive was attacked. In the Vatican Fr. John White, who was
positive, was attending a conference on HIV and AIDS and was evicted
from the conference because he asked why weren't people who were
positive and living with AIDS at the conference. And in America
people objected to people with the virus living in their
neighbourhood. Fr. Bernard Lynch was accused of sexual abuse because
of his work with gay men who were positive and his work with a gay
Christian and lesbian group, dignity which the church would not
allow them to use church buildings in New York. In 1998, lets not
forget that we still have people who are being diagnosed positive
who are alienated even with the gay scene. We have also a number of
young people in their early 20s who are positive. Once
one becomes involved with HIV and AIDS one will become challenged,
frustrated, feel anger, pain, and loss. But also hope and
celebration. It is also estimated that within the next 20 years, 40
million children will be orphaned by losing their parents to AIDS.
Over 50 percent of new infections with HIV now occur in people under
24 years of age. So lets move together with people who are positive
and living with AIDS with their partners, friends and families in
solidarity, strength, hope, with all our pain and loss and
celebration and dance in the hope that some day we will defeat AIDS.
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